


Roll the window down (won't let you go like this)

by whynotcherries



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Baelfire | Neal Cassidy Lives, F/M, Fix-It, Fluff and Angst, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-11
Updated: 2020-05-11
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:20:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24123496
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whynotcherries/pseuds/whynotcherries
Summary: Emma tells Neal that she's not taking Henry with her back to New York.
Relationships: Baelfire | Neal Cassidy & Emma Swan, Baelfire | Neal Cassidy/Emma Swan, Snow White | Mary Margaret Blanchard & Emma Swan
Comments: 2
Kudos: 9





	Roll the window down (won't let you go like this)

**Author's Note:**

> I really, really enjoy just saying 'screw canon' and writing truly terrible fix-its just so I have something to post.

Knowing that Emma and Henry were basically Neal’s only family left in Storybrooke you’d think that he’d show up to discuss them moving five states away. Really, he must know that he has a say in it. Especially if he was told about a _planned discussion_ that her mother insisted they have on the topic.

Emma couldn’t say she wasn’t disappointed when he didn’t end up coming.

So, she did what anyone who wanted good advice about what to do would.

She talked to her mom.

“I don’t know what to do. Should I ask him what he thinks?” she asks, leaning back against the couch, leaning her head back in contemplation.

Snow walks over to her daughter with a hot cocoa, “Well, do you have to think about what his opinion would be?” she asks, sitting down across from her.

Emma nods, “I mean, yeah. He wants us to be happy, which he just _keeps saying_ , he won’t actually say what he hopes that means, you know?” 

Snow shakes her head, “I doubt that he is, honey,” Emma looks over at her, confused, “I mean, think about it, sweetie. You’re his family, that’s his _son_. I’m sure you remember how upset you were when Regina wouldn’t let you see him.”

Emma shakes her head, leaning forwards and getting into ‘defense mode’, as Neal liked to call it, “It’s not the same, though, I’m not keeping Henry from him. He can see him whenever he wants,” she argues, “I just don’t wanna hurt him.”

Snow’s expression softens and she moves to sit on the couch beside her, “I think you need to tell him that. But right now, I think he’s probably hurt,” she reaches out and takes Emma’s hand, “you and Henry are his family. If you both leave, and for whatever reason don’t want him coming, he doesn’t have anyone anymore,” she says, “well, he’s got Gold, but we all know how _that_ relationship is.”

Emma chuckles and nods- she hadn’t realized that she was starting to cry, “Okay, I need to go and talk to him,” she says, standing and going to grab her coat, “thanks, Mom.”

“You’re welcome,” she beams, “wait, invite him to dinner!” she adds and Emma nods, walking out the door before she can be told anything else.

On the way, she calls his phone- honestly, she’s not surprised when she’s sent to voicemail. At least he hadn’t _really_ declined the call. 

She doesn’t bother to leave a message. 

Instead, she shows up at his door five minutes later, knocking like a crazy person.

“Hey,” he sighs, “come in.”

And that’s enough for her to make her decision.

It’s not that she can tell he’s upset (maybe with her, in particular, just a little bit), but because she can see that he’s hurt.

“We’re not going,” she says, no other greeting, no _nothing_.

He takes a second to think about it, and then visibly brightens, going back to his normal self, “Wait, you’re not going? Why?” he asks, pulling her into a hug with no hesitation.

She shakes her head, stepping back, “I talked to my mom about it. She made me realize that it’s not worth leaving people behind.”

“What about Henry?”

She smiles, shrugging, “He’ll be okay. I mean, we can keep him safe, right?” she asks, and he nods, beaming at her.

“Of course,” he confirms, pulling her into another hug, “I’m glad you’re staying,” he whispers, squeezing extra tight before letting her go.

She nods, smiling again, “If it gets too dangerous we can always go later,” she adds, and his expression drops- not as sad as it had been before, but still… “you can come, too.”

His shoulders drop in relief and he looks so surprised that he almost looks unsure- like it’s too good to be true, that she’d say that, “Really?” he whispers, still holding her hand from when he pulled away from her.

“Of course,” she assures, “I don’t- it was stupid of me not to think of it before. I wouldn’t _ever_ want to leave you here on your own. It didn’t occur to me that that’s what I’d be doing to you,” she explains, reaching out to grab his other hand, “I’m sorry,” she breathes, stepping forwards and this time being the one to hug him.

They stand like that for a minute, and Emma has a feeling it’s about a little more than a hug for both of them, so she stays and lets it happen.

The second Neal eases up, she remembers- “Oh, I’m supposed to invite you to dinner! I think we’re having pizza,” she smiles, leaning away from him.

He chuckles, and nods, “Okay, let me grab my coat.”


End file.
